But his decision to sign up for his own show - which will be produced by Mr Salmond's production company Slainte Media - has been slammed by some within his own party.

One SNP MP told PoliticsHome that it was "dangerously undignified", while SNP MEP Alyn Smyth told The Herald: "What the f*** is he thinking?"

The new programme will be similar in format to the former Scottish First Minister's one-man show at this summer's Edinburgh Fringe, which featured interviews with political figures including David Davis and John Bercow.

Mr Salmond has praised Vladimir Putin in the past, telling GQ magazine that he admired the way he had "restored a substantial part of Russian pride".

Mr Salmond last night hit back at his critics, insisting many Conservative, Labour and SNP MPs - including Jeremy Corbyn - have appeared on RT in the past.

He told the BBC's Newsnight: "I appeared on RT programmes when I was still a Member of Parliament, it would be a bit strange if I said 'now I'm no longer a Member of Parliament I'm refusing to make my own show with my own production company over which I have total editorial control.

Contributions from readers

Cock of the North

14:14 on 10th November 2017

What’s the BBC if not a state sponsored propaganda agency? The number of important UK news stories that are shown on RT, yet ignored or censored by the BBC is astonishing. As to political influence, remember when Cameron appeared on BBC radio and foolishly said ISIS should henceforth be termed: “so-called Islamic State? Thereafter, the sycophants in the BBC ludicrously followed his instruction with this crazy terminology so reminiscent of the slogans of Mao’s Red Guard. Why does the BBC call any government disliked by the Americans as a “regime”? Watch RT, you’ll be surprised by its high standards of news journalism. It’s quirky, cheeky style is so refreshing after watching a BBC news bulletin.